Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit their namesake county Sussex – live updates

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle delighted crowds as they made a very important visit to Sussex – the county their official titles are named after. The Duke and Duchess, who travelled via helicopter, visited both East and West Sussex, starting the day in the quaint city of Chichester. Well wishers had patiently waited to welcome Harry and Meghan, lining the streets and cheering as the royals made their much-anticipated appearance.

Their first stop was Edes House in the heart of the city, after which Harry and Meghan travelled to East Sussex to visit Brighton and the coastal town of Peacehaven.

Meghan looked radiant for her day out, stunning in a green blouse, green BOSS leather skirt and cream coat by Armani. She had her hair tied up in her signature loose bun.

Classmates Kieran Rutherford and Thomas Symington, both ten, presented the couple with an A to Z of Sussex made by pupils from Westbourne House School. It includes pictures of famous local produce like English wine, historic landmarks and beauty spots. Thomas said: "We want to tell them all about Sussex because it is the best county in the world."

Meghan accepted the gift and said: "Oh my goodness, thank you. That's so cool." Speaking to the same group of schoolchildren, Harry discovered that the kids were missing double Latin and a Latin test. Giving them high fives, he said: "The fact that you got off double Latin because we are here. I think that's fantastic." The Prince hurriedly added: "Although education is important."

The Year 6 group were being looked after by Mrs Sleep, who looked extremely excited to see Harry. "We've come to see you," she said, accepting his handshake. "I'm not letting go!" Pulling a comedy face, the Prince replied: "Um, please let go."

Meghan looked typically chic in her cream coat, green blouse and leather skirt. The former actress is the first Duchess of Sussex. The only previous Duke of Sussex was married twice, but neither marriages were considered lawful by his father George III, meaning they were considered unlawful. It therefore stands that Meghan is the first women entitled to use the title HRH The Duchess of Sussex.

The couple were in high spirits and looked thrilled to be visiting Sussex. They were given their official titles from the Queen back in May, at the time of their royal wedding. The royals greeted crowds, taking different paths to speak to as many people as possible.

Honor Pennant, ten, from Hampshire brought a bouquet of rosemary and white dahlias picked from her garden, and said: "I love Meghan so much I named my chicken after her. I like Meghan (the duchess) because I think she is quite spritely. I hope I can give her the flowers and tell her about my chicken." Aptly, the chicken is a breed called Light Sussex.

The couple's first stop on their tour was Edes House, where they were shown a rare Sussex copy of the American Declaration of Independence. The Sussex Declaration is one of only two contemporary handwritten ceremonial manuscript copies, the other being the signed copy housed in the National Archives in Washington D.C.

"My goodness, wow, what are the chances. That's amazing," said Meghan, as she inspected the artefact. "I just can't believe it." After the couple were presented with books about the document, the Duchess said: "I love that."

After lunch, the couple made their way to East Sussex, where they took part in a walkabout to greet fans. Harry and Meghan charmed crowds, stopping to chat and gratefully receiving cards, flowers and gifts.

The couple couldn't visit Brighton without stopping at the iconic Royal Pavilion. They toured several of the Pavilion's rooms, learning more about the building's history and the impact that it had on the social development of Brighton in the 18th century.

The royals also travelled to Peacehaven town, where they visited JOFF Youth Centre – a community hub that offers a range of positive activities, a 'chill out' area and music practice room. The Duke and Duchess were able to meet young people to hear about their strategic plans and priorities around mental health and emotional wellbeing.

The royals visited the Survivors' Network in Brighton – a charity that supports survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Sussex. Meghan was handed a framed drawing of one of her dogs made by artist Henry James Garrett, who was doing a PhD in Philosophy before dropping out due to anxiety.

The drawing showed a caption that read, "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?" while the answer read: "A boy who makes every effort to dismantle the patriarchy (whilst keeping in mind intersections with other forms of oppression)."

Meghan couldn't contain her laughter as she accepted the gift and pointed out the "little freckles" to her husband Harry.